"I think the process is in trouble because Harvard has submitted too many documents," said Ray Mellone, chairman of the Harvard Allston Task Force. He described the process as "chaotic."

Local elected officials, including state Reps. Michael Moran and Kevin Honan, state Sen. Steve Tolman and Boston City Councilor Jerry McDermott, have objected to what they consider Harvard's ad hoc approach to planning the museum.

They sent a letter to the BRA last week, asking that the museum proposal be removed from the proposed amendment to its old master plan, and instead consider it as part of the university's new master plan submitted in January -- a move that would likely significantly delay the project.

"They clearly haven't followed the process," Honan said. "And it's up to the BRA to say this is not correct."